How to Choose Hiking Boots

Hiking boots are one of the most important elements to any hiking experience. It’s important to know how to choose hiking boots in order to have a great hike. You don’t want to have to worry about your feet on a hike, or shoes slipping off, or worse falling off altogether.

There are many hiking scenarios in which things don’t go your way. Let’s prevent one important element from leading you astray.

Find the right size

You don’t want hiking shoes that don’t allow your toes to wiggle. You also don’t want the back of your hiking boots to slip up and down against your ankles. This could cause irritation, blisters, and other longer term issues after continued wear.

This is why it’s so important to find the right size hiking boots. Get your feet measured at a specialty store, or use this comprehensive fit guide from REI.

Day hike or Backpacking

For a day hike or an even shorter hike, you probably want to choose a hiking boot with a low to mid cut. For example, this pair works well for short hikes. They do not take long to break-in, and they flex fairly easily.

If you are taking longer hike and backpacking, you want to choose a higher cut hiking boot like this pair. It provides more support, is more durable, and does take longer to break-in. It’s an investment worth making!

How to choose hiking boots is important to know. It’s an investment worth making, and saves your feet a lot of trouble! Even if you are a casual hiker, you need to have a pair of hiking boots.

Trust me when I tell you, it makes a world of difference! Choose a pair of hiking boots that fit you well. Fit is the most important thing to remember with hiking boots. Happy hiking, y’all!